In the name of God,
Amen. I John Prouse of Caroline County in the State of Maryland,
being weak of body, but of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding
considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof
and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs and thereby be the better
prepared to leave this world when it shall please God to call me hence
do therefore make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner
and form following that is to say:

First and principally I commit
my soul into the hands of Almighty God, and my body to the earth to be
decently buried at the discretion of my Executrix or Executors hereinafter
named, and after my debts and funeral charges are paid and my wifes thirds
of the personal estate taken out, I devise and bequeath as follows:I give an bequeath unto
James
Manship my gun.

I give and bequeath all the
residue of my personal estate to my children to be equally divided between
them share and share alike.

I give and devise unto my
wife Elizabeth the farm or plantation where on I now dwell, during
her natural life time or widowhood.

And lastly I do hereby constitute
and appoint my dear wife Elizabeth Prouse together with George
Prouse if he will serve, if not,
Tilghman Johnson to be sole
Executors of this my last Will and Testament revoking and annulling all
former Wills by me heretofore made notifying and confirming this and none
other to be my last Will and Testament .

In Testimony where of I have
hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 29th day of December in the
year of our Lord 1836.
hisSigned, Sealed, published
and declared
John X Prouse {Seal}by John Prouse the
above named
markTestator as and for his
last Will andTestament in the presence
of us whoat his request in his presence
and inthe presence of each other
have subscribedour names as witnesses thereto.

Tilghman Johnson
Thomas Willoughby
James Johnson

Caroline County to Wit }Th 6th March 1838
} Then came Tilghman Johnson one of the Executors named and
appointed in the foregoing Will and made oath on the Holy Evangels of
Almighty God, that the foregoing instrument of writing is the true and
whole last Will and Testament of John Prouse late of Caroline deceased,
that hath come to his hands or possession and that he doth not know of
any other of a later date.
Cert. by W. A. Ford Regr. of Wills
for Caroline County

Caroline County to Wit. }The 6th March 1838
} Then came Thomas Willoughby and James Johnson two of the
subscribing witnesses to the foregoing last Will and Testament of John
Prouse late of Caroline County deceased, and severally made oath
on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God, that they did see the Testator
therein named make his mark to and seal this Will, that they heard him
publish pronounce and declare the same to be his last Will and Testament,
that at the time of his so doing he was to the best of their apprehension
of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and that they together
with Tilghman Johnson the other subscribing witness respectively
subscribed their names as witnesses to the said Will in the presence and
at the request of the Testator and in the presence of each other.
Cert. by W. A. Ford Regr. of Wills
for Caroline County